ShroudShroud
What it's about
Humans find a moon they call Shroud, a world in permanent darkness where nothing should be able to live. When a small crew's craft is wrecked on its surface, two survivors have to cross it to reach rescue, and they discover that Shroud is very much alive, with beings that sense the world in ways humans can barely imagine.
Why it's worth reading
It was a finalist for the Hugo and Goodreads Choice awards. Tchaikovsky, author of Children of Time, writes some of the most original aliens in modern science fiction.
You'll love it if you liked
Project Hail Mary
A Fire Upon the Deep
An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around UsGood to know
It's a survival story at first, then becomes something stranger. There are passages told from alien points of view.
By the numbers
- Readers62 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics25 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller24 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz100 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #86 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #158 of the 481 new books we rank
- #922 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous, Thought-provoking, Dark
More by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Children of Time
Alien Clay
Service ModelIf you like this, read next
The Tainted Cup
A Drop of Corruption
The Will of the Many
The Everlasting
Cloud Cuckoo Land
BabelExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Shroud worth reading?
Yes. It was a finalist for the Hugo and Goodreads Choice awards. It ranks #922 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 73.8 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Shroud about?
Humans find a moon they call Shroud, a world in permanent darkness where nothing should be able to live. When a small crew's craft is wrecked on its surface, two survivors have to cross it to reach rescue, and they discover that Shroud is very much alive, with beings that sense the world in ways humans can barely imagine.
How long does it take to read Shroud?
About 14 hours (560 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Shroud?
If you liked it, try Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge or An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us by Ed Yong.